The respiratory system exchanges oxygen and carbon dioxide in the lungs through inhalation and exhalation. The upper respiratory tract includes the nose, throat, larynx, and trachea, while the lower respiratory tract consists of the lungs, bronchi, and alveolar sacs. The respiratory process is regulated by the central nervous system, diaphragm, lungs, and circulatory system. Respiratory diseases and harmful substances can affect the function of the respiratory system.
The main function of the respiratory system is the exchange of gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide in the lungs. Breathing, or respiration, allows you to perform this important function. The air carrying oxygen enters the body during inhalation, and the air carrying carbon dioxide is expelled from the body through exhalation. Oxygen is a vital requirement for all cells to survive and perform their many functions. Carbon dioxide is mostly a waste product of processes within the body and is not usually needed by cells.
All structures of the respiratory tract play necessary roles in the function of the system. The upper respiratory tract, which includes the nose, throat, larynx, and trachea or trachea, are passageways for oxygen and carbon dioxide during the breathing process. In the lower respiratory tract, which consists of the lungs, bronchi and alveolar sacs, the process of gas exchange takes place.
When oxygen reaches the trachea, it travels to the two main bronchi, which divide into the right lung and left lung. The oxygen then proceeds to numerous bronchioles of each lung and finally to the millions of alveolar sacs. Smaller blood vessels, called capillaries, are present in the surfaces of the alveolar sacs. Blood carrying carbon dioxide travels to the lungs through capillaries to exchange that gas for oxygen. The blood carrying oxygen then goes to the heart to be delivered to other organs in the body.
The respiratory process is governed by the actions of the central nervous system, the diaphragm, the lungs and the circulatory system. There is a respiratory center in the brain which regulates the process. The muscles in the chest, such as the diaphragm and those between the ribs, assist in the expansion and collapse of the lungs with each breath. After gas exchange in the lungs, oxygenated blood usually enters the circulatory system to reach all parts of the body.
Any disturbance in the components that regulate the respiratory process can affect the function of the respiratory system. Respiratory diseases can include infections such as pneumonia, tuberculosis and bronchitis. The narrowing of the airways often makes breathing difficult for many asthma patients. Even harmful substances, such as tobacco smoke and radon gas, can reach the lungs when inhaled from the air. These substances can lead to the development of tumors and lung cancer, often causing deterioration of the respiratory system and other systems of the human body.
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